Island Hopping Through The U S V I

M ost visitors to the U.S.        island measures just 28 square     Virgin Islands don’t stray     miles, you will be able to feel    beyond St. Thomas – the        like you have escaped from the     nexus of the islands’ vibrant         hustle and bustle.                 culture. However, there are a                                            variety of daytime excursions         St. John is also a great spot for  that offer activities for any         snorkeling and scuba diving. The   type of tourist on St. Thomas’        coral reefs surrounding the        sister islands. From the              island are teeming with colorful   extensive colonial history of St.     fish and sea creatures. Though     Croix to the wide-open spaces of      St. John is a quiet island, you    St. John and Water Island, there      will easily be able to find tour   is plenty to experience               guides and dive instructors. Such  throughout the U.S. Virgin            dive tours and ferry service from  Islands. Furthermore, moving          St. Thomas can be arranged         between the islands is a breeze       directly through your resort.      as ferries visit each of the U.S.                                        Virgin Islands every day.             St. Croix, the largest of the                                            U.S. Virgin Islands, is a great    Of the three major U.S. Virgin        destination for historical         Islands, St. John is the least        sightseers. Prior to European      developed destination. As             colonization of the Caribbean,     two-thirds of the island is           the island was inhabited by        designated as the Virgin Islands      native Arawaks and Caribs. In      National Park, you are guaranteed     1493,                              plenty of undeveloped Caribbean                                          beauty. The island’s interior is      Christopher Columbus landed on     lined with hiking trails offering     the island and claimed it for the  challenges for experienced hikers     Spanish Crown. Named Santa Cruz    and families alike. Though the        (Holy Cross), the island was the   site of many battles between the      The remains of this colonial       native populations and the            history can be found throughout    Spaniards for more than a             St. Croix, especially in           century. In the 17th Century,         Christiansted and Frederiksted –   Dutch and English settlers came       the island’s largest settlements.  to the St. Croix. The island          Beyond the unique ruins of         continued changing European hands     European colonies, the 82          as the Spanish ousted both the        square-mile island is full of the  Dutch and English, only to have       natural beauty the Caribbean is    their settlements overtaken by        known for. From the rainforests    the French. After serving as a        at the interior of the island to   profitable agricultural               the wide beaches at the shore,     settlement for a number of            St. Croix has everything you       European companies – including        expect of an island paradise. St.  the Dutch West India and Guinea       Croix can easily be reached by     Company, St. Croix was eventually     direct ferry or flight from St.    sold to the United States by          Thomas.                            Denmark during World War I to                                            prevent German acquisition. When      So when planning your trip to St.  all was said and done, St. Croix      Thomas, consider a day trip to     had flown seven different flags       one of the other islands to enjoy  during 500 years of colonial          everything that the USVI has to    history.                              offer.                                                                    About the Author: This article was written by Justin Burch. Justin writes select pieces about vacationing in the Caribbean for the St. Thomas Resort. Published At: www.Isnare.com